Timeline Wednesday 12 February 1941

Events on Wednesday 12 February 1941 2

• 1941 First patient treated with penicillin Oxford team tests the antibiotic in a human Howard Florey's team in Oxford gave penicillin to police constable Albert Alexander, who had a severe infection. He improved dramatically, but the supply ran out and he died, which showed both the drug's power and the need for mass production.
• 1941 Rommel arrives in Libya The Afrika Korps enters the desert war General Erwin Rommel arrived in Tripoli to command German forces sent to prop up Italy in North Africa. Within weeks he had launched an offensive that drove the British back to the Egyptian border.